What is Preboarding? 7 Steps To Take for New Hires
A robust preboarding process can improve new hire retention by up to 82%. As such, preboarding is an important yet often overlooked step towards happy and engaged employees.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at preboarding, how it differs from onboarding, why employee preboarding is so essential, and how HR teams can create an excellent preboarding process.
Contents
What is preboarding?
Preboarding vs. onboarding: The key differences
Why is it important for HR to conduct preboarding?
Preboarding process in 7 steps
Preboarding checklist for HR (and managers)
FAQ
What is preboarding?
Preboarding refers to the process an organization has in place during the period between a candidate signing the employment contract and their first working day.
Preboarding employees aims to prepare them for their first day while keeping them excited to get started.
Preboarding vs. onboarding: The key differences
Preboarding refers to the process of engaging and preparing new hires for their roles prior to their official start date, while onboarding involves integrating them into the company and their position once they begin working.
Both processes should be considered an integral part of your employee experience.
In the table below, we’ve listed some key differences between employee preboarding and onboarding.
| Preboarding | Onboarding | |
| Timing | Takes place before a new hire’s first day. | Starts on the new hire’s first day. |
| Goal | 1. Keep new hires engaged and excited to start their new role. 2. Get them all the necessary information to prepare for their first day (i.e., practical info, filling out forms, onboarding agenda, 30-60-90-day plan, etc.). |
1. Get new hires operational as quickly as possible. 2. Shape the essential first impressions new employees have of the company. |
| Focus | Being available and present for new employees and addressing their questions and concerns. | Getting employees ready to do their jobs independently and effectively. |
| Duration | The duration differs. Depending on the new employee’s current situation, it can be anything from 1 day to multiple months or even longer. | Often at least 3 months, but it differs per organization and role. |
Preboarding fast facts
- A strong preboarding process can boost new hire retention by up to 82% and minimize non-starters.
- 64% of new employees receive no preboarding experience.
- Successful teams are 53% more likely to preboard new hires.
- Effective preboarding communication boosts the overall onboarding experience by 83%.
Why is it important for HR to conduct preboarding?
Consider the scenario where a candidate accepts a job offer and signs the employment contract but then receives no communication or engagement from the new employer for several weeks.
This lack of interaction can make the new hire feel neglected or reconsider their decision to join the company.
In contrast, a strong preboarding process keeps the new employee engaged and informed from the moment they accept the offer until they start. It builds excitement and a sense of belonging, which can significantly increase new hire retention and reduce the likelihood of them backing out before their start date. Effective preboarding ensures that new employees feel valued and prepared, setting the stage for a successful and lasting employment relationship.
To summarize, HR needs to create an effective preboarding for employees to:
- Keep people engaged and excited to start: Staying in touch during preboarding is welcoming and keeps new hires excited to join the company.
- Provide new hires with crucial information: There is much information to be shared with people once they’ve signed their contract. The preboarding period is a perfect time to do this.
- Have people meet their onboarding buddy: If your organization has a buddy system at work, the ideal time to introduce new hires to their buddy is during preboarding.
- Complete all administrative tasks upfront: Send out any documents that new hires need to read and sign before officially becoming employees during the preboarding process.
- Have new hires get to know their future team members: Preboarding is an opportunity for employees to familiarize themselves with future colleagues and gain insights into team dynamics and meeting structures. This early interaction helps build rapport, ease anxieties, and provide a clearer understanding of their upcoming work environment.
- Avoid new hires going to the competition: 1 in 5 people who have signed their contract don’t show up on their first day. Chances are they have gone to a competitor that did give them an excellent preboarding experience.
Preboarding process in 7 steps
An effective preboarding process makes sure that the new hires feel welcomed, informed, and prepared even before their first day.
Here are some process steps to consider:
1. Sending of welcome emails
First impressions last. It is, therefore, essential to make new hires feel welcome and appreciated right away. Sending people a warm welcome email contributes to a positive first impression and increased retention.
A welcome email for new hires is also a great way to share information and introduce your new employees to your company culture.
HR action points
- Create a welcome to the team template that managers can use as a basis for their welcome emails for new hires
- Add a video message from the CEO or founder(s) where they welcome new employees into the company
- Check out our Welcome to the team article to inspire your communication with new hires.
2. Drafting the onboarding agenda for the first day and the first week
Most people like to know what to expect on their first day and the onboarding program they will go through.
Creating an onboarding agenda requires the active participation of multiple people in the company, so planning this is key to creating a smooth first day – and subsequent onboarding for the new employee.
HR action points
- Map out the onboarding process, starting with the (HR) elements that are the same for every new employee. Make sure to also carve out timeslots for managers and other people involved
- List all the people involved in onboarding new hires and their involvement in the process. Set up a meeting with everyone involved to align
- Ask managers and other people involved to choose their timeslots and add their parts to the onboarding journey
- Based on this, managers should be able to draft the onboarding agenda for the first day and the first week and share it with their new team members.
3. Sending and completing pre-employment paperwork
As we’ve already mentioned, the preboarding period is an excellent time to get all the necessary pre-employment paperwork out of the way. It allows new hires to go through this (sometimes relatively dry) paperwork at their own pace rather than rush through it during onboarding.
Documents to think of in this regard include various tax and employment forms, company policies, the employee handbook, and information about available resources, benefits, and perks offered by the company to its employees.
HR action points
- List all the paperwork that needs to be shared with or signed by new hires
- Create a timeline that indicates when you’ll share which information. Include (automated) reminders for documents that the new employee needs to sign
- Avoid sending too much information at once to keep things manageable for new hires
- Ask new hires for feedback about this part of their preboarding; what do they believe went well, and what can be improved?
4. Prepare the work environment and equipment
The preboarding period allows HR and managers to ensure that all the practicalities are taken care of (well) before the new hire’s first day.
People’s work environment and equipment need to be in order, and as simple as this may sound, this often isn’t the case. What this looks like, however, will vary greatly depending on what role and industry a person is starting in.
The action points below are examples of an office-based job.
HR action points
- Clearly communicate new hires’ start dates to the people involved in getting everything ready for them (i.e., office management, IT, legal, etc.)
- A couple of days before a new employee starts, double-check if the work environment and equipment are all set up, including:
- The desk area
- The hardware, including the user agreement for equipment that is yet to be signed by the new hire
- The necessary software access, network logins, and email address
- The welcome kit
- The workplace access card
- The business travel card
- Etc.
- Check-in with the new employee’s manager a few days before their first day to gently remind them of their new team member’s arrival and ask them if they need anything from HR.
5. Remind managers to inform the team of the new hire
Telling the team about a new person starting is not something most managers will forget, but it’s good to provide them with some guidance on how to go about this.
Briefing the team on the new hire, their role and responsibilities creates role clarity and explains what projects the new colleague will be involved in. It also helps make the new hire feel welcome on their first day.
HR action points
- Create a template that managers can use to write an email or message to their teams introducing them to the new colleague, their role, responsibilities, and projects
- Remind managers to encourage their teams to reach out to their future coworker – for instance, via LinkedIn – to say hi and welcome them into the team
- Remind managers to invite the new hire once or twice to a team meeting or (social) event during preboarding to ensure an even smoother transition on their first day.
6. Help draft a 30-60-90-day plan
A 30-60-90-day plan, also known as a 3-month plan, can help new employees navigate their new workplace and role. It provides structure and direction around company culture, processes, and expectations.
While the 30-60-90-day plan is something managers ideally define together with their new employees, HR plays a key role in facilitating this process.
HR action points
- Create a 30-60-90-day plan template for managers to design their new hires’ plans. For inspiration, multiple examples, and a free template download, go here
- During the preboarding process, remind managers to have their 30-60-90-day plan ready for new hires and to share it with their new team members according to the preboarding timeline
- Regularly check in with managers and new hires during onboarding to see how things are going.
7. Be available and stay in touch
As we’ve discussed earlier, one of the main goals of preboarding employees is to keep them engaged and excited to start their new job.
Therefore, it is crucial to stay in touch with them throughout the preboarding period and be available whenever a new hire has questions or concerns.
HR action points
- Map out the preboarding process and create a timeline, specifying what actions occur at what moment
- Intentionally carve out moments in that process where HR or the new employee’s manager checks in with them
- Make it easy for new hires to contact HR and their future manager
- If your organization has a buddy system in place, ensure that the buddy reaches out to their partner during preboarding and that they are also easy to reach.
Preboarding checklist for HR (and managers)
HR tip
Consider using technology to automate and structure the preboarding process. If your budget allows it, you can implement onboarding software to help you save time on recurring tasks before and after your new hire starts.
To sum up
HR can create a great preboarding experience with these best practices:
- Before you develop and implement a preboarding process, make sure you get all the parties involved (founders, managers, IT, legal, etc.) truly onboard.
- Consider creating a preboarding resources library where managers and others involved can find all the templates, checklists, documents, and other elements they need to do their part in preboarding new employees.
- Automate as much as possible. Many preboarding actions are recurring and the same for every new hire. Identify which parts can be automated when mapping out the preboarding process and timeline.
- During their onboarding, ask new hires about their preboarding experience. Use this feedback to keep improving your preboarding process.
FAQ
Preboarding refers to the period between the moment when a candidate signs their employment contract and their first day on the job.
The pre-onboarding or preboarding period aims to do two things: i) stay in touch with new hires and keep them engaged, and ii) send them all the info they need to prepare for their first day.
Preboarding takes place before a new hire starts their new job, while onboarding begins on the first day of their new job. Also, preboarding is mostly about keeping people engaged and ready to start, while onboarding is (predominantly) about getting new employees operational.
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